Thursday, February 17, 2011

Prayers for marriage (especially good for ceremony)

These are such good prayers-- they are from the Book of Common Prayer and are very good for a wedding ceremony

Eternal God, creator and preserver of all life,author of salvation, and giver of all grace:Look with favor upon the world you have made,and for which your Son gave his life,and especially upon this man and this womanwhom you make one flesh in Holy Matrimony. Amen

Give them wisdom and devotion in theordering of their common life,that each may be to the othera strength in need,a counselor in perplexity,a comfort in sorrow, anda companion in joy. AMEN

Grant that their wills may be so knit togetherin your will, and their spirits in your Spirit,that they may grow in loveand peace with you and one another all the days of their life.Amen.

Give them grace, when they hurt each other, to recognizeand acknowledge their fault,and to seek each other'sforgiveness and yours. Amen

Make their life together a sign of Christ's love to this sinfuland broken world,that unity may overcome estrangement,forgiveness heal guilt,and joy conquer despair. Amen.

Bestow on them, if it is your will,the gift and heritage of children,and the grace to bring them up to know you,to love you, and to serve you. Amen

Give them such fulfillment of their mutual affection thatthey may reach out in love and concern for others. Amen

Grant that all married persons who have witnessed these vowsmay find their lives strengthened and their loyalties confirmed. AMEN

Grant that the bonds of our common humanity,by which all your children are united one to another,and the living to the dead,may be so transformed by your grace,that your will may be done on earth as it is in heaven;where, O Father, with your Son and the Holy Spirit,you live and reign in perfect unity,now and for ever. Amen

Most gracious God, we give you thanks for your tender lovein sending Jesus Christ to come among us,to be born of a human mother,and to make the way of the cross to be the way of life.We thank you, also, for consecrating the union of man and woman inhis Name. By the power of your Holy Spirit, pour out the abundanceof your blessing upon this man and this woman.Defend them from every enemy.Lead them into all peace.Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts,a mantle about their shoulders,and a crown upon their foreheads.Bless them in their work and in their companionship;in their sleeping and in their waking;in their joys and in their sorrows;in their life and in their death.Finally, in your mercy, bring them to that table where your saints feastfor ever in your heavenly home;through Jesus Christ our Lord,who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,on God, for ever and ever. Amen.

O God, you have so consecrated the covenant of marriagethat in it is represented the spiritual unity betweenChrist and his Church:Send therefore your blessing upon these your servantsthat they may so love, honor and cherish each otherin faithfulness and patience,in wisdom and true godliness,that their home may be a haven of blessing and peace;through Jesus Christ our Lord,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever.Amen.

About Me

My goal is to love the Lord with all my heart, mind, and strength and to love my neighbor as myself. But I must say , I can only pray for grace and mercy daily!! I hope to know more of the width and length and depth and height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that I may be filled with all the fullness of God (eph 3). I have three kids and three grandbabies. My spindle cottage blog has no new additions since we have moved.